


made the world safe and sound for you

by zach_stone



Series: hermann is dad [2]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Babies, Fluff, Hermann Baby Fever Gottlieb, M/M, Plans For The Future, Post-Canon, Post-Movie: Pacific Rim (2013)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-13 22:11:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16900770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zach_stone/pseuds/zach_stone
Summary: After the war, Newt and Hermann meet Tendo's second child, and Newt finds out that Hermann gets seriously sappy around babies.





	made the world safe and sound for you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [freezerjerky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/freezerjerky/gifts).



> lindsey and i are doin a little fic trade, and this is one of two fics i wrote for them, both involving hermann with kids. this particular one spawned from [this conversation on twitter](https://twitter.com/newtguzzler/status/1066401340199440384), and my hermann kin really shines here bc this is exactly how i react when i see a baby. 
> 
> lindsey, i really hope u enjoy this!!! i had so much fun writing it!!! <3

When Tendo’s son was born, humanity was in the final throes of the kaiju war; he rarely had time to see Alison or Theo himself, let alone invite his coworkers over to meet the baby. Newt’s met the kid a handful of times now that he’s a rambunctious toddler and the war is over, but he never had the chance to see him when he was brand new. Now, though, a year and change after the closing of the Breach, the Chois have just welcomed their second child, Mira, into the world, and invited the five-person remnants of the old crew to their house to meet her a week later.

They’re standing, now, in Tendo and Alison’s living room: Herc looking somewhat misty-eyed, Raleigh a little nervous as Mako beams down at the little bundle in Tendo’s arms. Newt has his arm hooked around Hermann’s waist, leaning into his side. The baby is sleeping soundly, her tiny face peaceful. She’s got a shock of dark hair peeking out from the little blanket she’s swaddled in. Newt glances up at Hermann’s face — he seems mesmerized.

Tendo says, “Anyone wanna hold her?” He turns to Hermann, who’s standing closest. “What about you, Hermann?”

“Me?” Hermann says, snapping out of his daze and looking up at Tendo, clearly a bit flustered. “Um — yes, alright then.” He straightens and shifts his weight over to his good leg, tucking his cane under his arm. “Just for a moment.”

Newt takes a few steps back to give Hermann space as Tendo eases the baby into his arms. Hermann looks so nervous, his brow furrowed in concentration as he bites his lip and allows Tendo to adjust his hold. “Relax, man, you’re not gonna break her,” Tendo teases. “Just make sure to support her neck — yeah, you got it.”

Hermann cradles Mira close to his chest, unconsciously rocking her back and forth ever so slightly. He brushes a thumb gently against the downy hair on the side of her head. “Oh,” he says quietly. “She’s so soft.”

“Yeah,” Tendo says, grinning. “She smells amazing too, I can’t stop sniffing her head.”

Raleigh lets out a laugh at that, and the baby startles, opening her eyes and whimpering. Hermann makes a soft shushing sound, and she settles again, staring up at him with wide, dark eyes.

“Hello there,” Hermann murmurs. The baby makes a contented little burble, and everyone in the room coos.

From her spot on the couch with Theo in her lap, Alison says, “Hermann, you’re a natural.” Hermann laughs a little, and then he glances over at Newt with a wide smile like he can’t quite believe it.

Newt feels like his heart might explode out of his chest. He’s always liked kids, has thought idly about being a dad someday — but right now, watching the careful ease with which Hermann holds Tendo’s daughter, Newt decides he absolutely wants to have kids with him. Newt’s an only child, and has few cousins, so his exposure to babies is pretty limited. As far as he knows, Hermann’s is, too, but you’d never know it looking at him now. It just — fits, the way Hermann is taking such care, the look of wonderment and utter content, like he cares about nothing but the baby in his arms.

Eventually, everyone gets a turn holding baby Mira, and Tendo drags Newt into the kitchen to show off some fancy coffee he’s gotten imported. They end up reminiscing about the miserable excuse for coffee in the Hong Kong Shatterdome towards the end of the war, and by the time Newt makes it back to the living room, Hermann’s the only one there. He’s sitting on the couch, and he’s holding Mira again, cradling her gently and murmuring softly to her. When Newt gets closer, he realizes that Hermann’s eyes are glassy.

“Dude, are you crying?” Newt asks. Hermann startles, looking up as Newt plops onto the couch next to him.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Hermann grumbles, even as he sniffles back another round of tears. “She’s just — she’s so _small_ , Newton.” He lifts the baby up a little as he speaks, as if to emphasize his point.

Newt smiles. “Aw, honey,” he says, shuffling closer and leaning his head on Hermann’s shoulder. He reaches out gingerly and holds his finger up to Mira. She grasps it in her tiny fist, and Hermann makes a soft sound like he’s been punched in the stomach. Newt bites his lip to keep from laughing at him, mostly because he doesn’t want to upset the baby.

“Look at her tiny fingernails,” Hermann says.

“Do you know she doesn’t have all her bones yet?” Newt says conversationally, moving his finger up and down in Mira’s grip. “Babies don’t have kneecaps.”

“Yes, thank you for that, Newton.”

Newt does chuckle then, turning his head to press his lips to Hermann’s shoulder. “Why did I never know you have some serious baby fever, man? This is the cutest shit I’ve ever seen.”

“Don’t swear in front of the baby.”

“She’s a week old, Hermann, she literally cannot comprehend words.” Newt pokes him in the side with his free hand. “Really, though. It’s sweet.”

Hermann looks over at him and his expression softens, his cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink that makes Newt want to kiss him silly. “I suppose I’m just a little emotional. She’ll never have to fear an attack from the kaiju. The very fact that she’s here and the world is here for her — it’s miraculous, isn’t it?”

Newt can’t help himself — he leans up to kiss Hermann’s lips, soft and sweet. “You’re such a sap. I love you.”

Tendo wanders into the room to find them, and when he sees them curled close together on the couch with the baby, he pulls out his phone and snaps a photo, grinning all the while. “Looks like we know who her favorite uncles are gonna be,” he says.

“Tendo,” Newt says seriously, “I think we’re going to have to steal your daughter.”

Tendo laughs. “Get your own!”

“That’s the plan,” Newt says without thinking. Tendo raises his eyebrows, and Newt can feel Hermann’s posture change just slightly beside him. “Uh,” he fumbles, “I mean, we’re not even married yet. Probably should do that first, or, uh, or something.” Mira finally releases his finger, and Newt pulls his hand away, clasping it in his lap.

Tendo looks between Newt and Hermann for a moment before nodding. “Right. Well, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t need me to take her off your hands, Hermann.”

“I think we’re fine for a few more minutes, if that’s alright,” Hermann says.

“Sure thing, brother. Just holler if you need me.” Tendo ducks out again. Newt can feel Hermann staring at him, and he scrunches his face in anticipation and peers at Hermann out of the corner of his eye.

“That’s the plan, is it?” Hermann says lightly.

“I mean, it’s just something I was thinking about. I don’t know. Like I said, we should probably get married first. Or, I’d like to.”

“You’d want to have children? With me?” Hermann’s voice has gone soft, and Newt relaxes a bit. Hermann looks like he might start crying again.

“Sure,” Newt says, shrugging. “I love kids, and you’re clearly a natural with babies, so. It’d be kinda cool, right?”

Hermann is quiet for a long moment. He looks at Mira, traces a finger from the top of her head down across one side of her face, watching the way her little face scrunches and relaxes again. “I’d like that very much,” he says finally. “But do you really think I’d be good at it? I didn’t have a very good role model as far as fatherhood goes, Newton.”

“Hey,” Newt says, running a soothing hand along Hermann’s upper arm. “You’ve already proven you’re ten times the man your dad is when it comes to fighting off aliens from another dimension. Being better than him at being a dad is gonna be easy. And besides,” he adds, “we’ll be doing it together, and I’m already a master at dad jokes, so we’ve got it in the bag.”

Hermann chuckles, and Newt can tell he’s getting weepy again; the knowledge that babies get Hermann _this_ sappy is absolutely delightful. Hermann turns to him, kisses him softly, and then shifts Mira in his arms a bit. “Would you like to hold her?” he asks.

Newt didn’t actually get the chance to hold the baby earlier when she was being passed around to everyone. He suddenly struggles to recall if he’s ever held a baby before in his life. Hermann makes it look so easy, even if it’s all new to him. What if Newt fumbles? Will that be some kind of cosmic sign that _he’s_ the one who’s not fit to be a dad?

“Sure?” he says, voice cracking slightly.

As if sensing Newt’s anxieties, Hermann kisses him again. “It’s all right, dear, I’ll help you.”

Whether he means just help Newt hold Mira or help Newt in their joint future fatherhood, it’s enough to settle some of the nerves rolling around in Newt’s stomach. He settles back against the couch and holds out his arms. Hermann eases Mira into the crook of Newt’s arm before moving his hands away, though he hovers close.

Newt huffs out a laugh. “Okay, I got her, chill.” She’s heavier than he expected, even as small as she is. And _warm_ — Newt holds her even closer, and when he glances up at Hermann, he sees that Hermann is pressing a hand to his mouth, clearly overcome. “Sweetheart, if you’re getting this worked up at the sight of me holding someone else’s kid, I don’t know if you’re ready for us to have our _own_ baby. You’d be crying all day long.”

“Oh, piss off,” Hermann says, still impossibly fond.

Newt gasps. “ _Hermann_ ,” he chides, “not in front of her delicate baby ears!”

Hermann  _tsks_ irritably, but he’s smiling when he says, “I’ll say yes, by the way. Whenever you get around to asking.”

It takes Newt a minute to process what he means by that, and then his eyes widen. “Oh. Okay,” he squeaks. “Hey, is it bad form to propose while holding someone else’s baby?”

“Yes,” Hermann says.

“Yes I shouldn’t do it, or yes you’ll marry me?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Hermann repeats, rolling his eyes, and Newt feels a giddy warmth bubbling up in his chest. He doesn’t know exactly what their future holds, but if it’s anything like this moment, he’s more than looking forward to it.

**Author's Note:**

> fic title a modified lyric from "dear theodosia" from hamilton
> 
> also, fun facts, i put a lot of thought into the baby names: theo was not named for the titular song here lol, but because the name means "divine gift," which i thought was fitting for a baby born in the midst of such a tumultuous time. mira means a few things, including "wonder" and "ocean," both of which i thought were thematically appropriate for a baby born AFTER the kaiju war. maybe i overthink these things. 
> 
> find me on twitter @hermanngottiieb!


End file.
